The president of Harvard urged students at graduation to consider humility as a major learning experience at Harvard. The Dean of the Business School echoed that same sentiment.
For God’s sake, Harvard has the issue completely backwards.
I have dealt with three business circumstances where the Harvard name was taken as evidence that the person or persons involved were honest.
In the first instance one of the partners was a Harvard graduate himself who had recruited another Harvard graduate as a partner. The second partner turned out to pull a swindle of brilliant proportions intended to gain ownership of 100% of the company. He was humble but completely dishonest.
In two other instances a Japanese firm was buying an American business. Because the number one University in Japan graduates very competent and honest people, the Japanese had selected American lawyers for the buyout who were Harvard graduates. They assumed that Harvard lawyers would be honest.
Never have I seen any companies so badly screwed in a buyout by their own lawyers.
Harvard does not need to teach humility. It needs to teach the importance of honesty.